This invention relates to automatically controlled aerial delivery systems and methods and apparatus for programming the automatic guidance unit of such aerial delivery systems.
Automatically guided ram air parafoil parachutes are excellent vehicles for delivery of cargoes from airplanes in situations when weather, terrain or military conflict makes aircraft landing difficult or impossible. One such airborne parafoil vehicle is the PEGASUS Advanced Precision Delivery System (APADS) available from FXC Corporation, the assignee of the present invention.
Prior to deploying a guided parachute system from an airplane, the on-board guidance system is preprogrammed with the target information. Heretofore, the complexity and difficulty of programming this on-board guidance system has greatly inhibited the use of automatically guided parafoil canopies or parachutes. Even though the ram air parafoil is capable of very accurately reaching targets from 30,000 feet aloft and several miles away from the target location, even a small error in preprogramming the airborne guidance system can completely negate the mission by causing the delivery system to land miles away from the targeted location.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention employ a simple handheld programming unit into which the coordinates and other parameters of the target location are set by simple thumbwheel switches. This programming can be quickly and accurately performed in the field by someone completely lacking in computer training or computer skills.
The preferred embodiments of the hand-held programming unit include a key receptacle accessible from outside of the unit. This receptacle accepts a key having an integral EEPROM or other data memory, which when inserted into this receptacle is loaded with the target location data that the user has manually entered into the handheld unit using the thumbwheel switches.
The memory key, now loaded with the target information, is easily carried by a responsible person for arming the guidance system. At the appropriate time before deployment of the load, this memory key is inserted into a mating receptacle located on the airborne guidance unit. The airborne unit is then immediately armed with the geographic coordinates and other data necessary for preprogramming the onboard flight guidance computer.
A significant feature of the programming system and procedure is its ease of use and minimal training requirements. No step requires the user to be trained in computers or the use of any computer operating or application software. As a result, the opportunity for making mistakes in the field is greatly decreased. Moreover, preloading the program data is very simple and straight forward and can be easily and quickly performed whether the parachute and guidance system are still on the ground waiting to be loaded into the airplane or after the unit has been loaded within the airplane. In addition, the programming of the memory key can be performed at any convenient time and by a different person than the personnel involved in deploying the guided parachute from the airplane.